One Michigan union says as grocery workers continue to put themselves at risk, pay increases need to stay in place.
Both Meijer and Kroger stores have reported worker deaths related to Covid-19. Both stores offer two-dollar an hour pay increases to staff that work during the outbreak.
John Cakmaki is with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951, which represents over 31,000 workers including at Meijer stories. He said the union will be negotiating with Kroger to have the raises extended.
“You’ve got Kroger who finally starts paying the two dollars. Who ends this month, the 18th of April, it ends, and that’s not fair. I do think people deserve more.”
Cakmaki said he’s frustrated that other, competing retailers like Wal-Mart aren’t paying their workers more money to work through the outbreak.
“I mean how much money do they need for god’s sakes and they can’t play those employees two dollars an hour? That’s a dynamic I have to deal with every day.”
Wal-Mart has offered workers between $150-300 bonuses for working through the outbreak but Cakmaki said “that doesn’t cut it.”
A Wal-Mart spokesperson called their bonuses “comparable.”
Federal proposals have included an additional $13 an hour for frontline workers including grocery workers but Cakmaki said it could be months before his workers ever see those funds - if at all.